Traveling the World in San Miguel

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Kalinga mask

León Chino

Leones

Warrior of Indonesia

By Jesús Aguado

Celebration of the world returns to San Miguel with the 19th Encuentro Internacional de Convivencia y Hermandad Universal (International Congress of Coexistence and Universal Brotherhood). The encounter will feature plays, music, dances, and more at the Jardín Principal, Teatro Santa Ana, and the Teatro Ángela Peralta. It will take place from Friday, May 11, through Saturday, May 19.

Don Luis Ferro de la Sota, councilor of the Sociedad Civil en Marcha (the organization that organizes the event) has put into action the popular phrase that Benito Juárez immortalized in 1867: “Among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others is peace.” Ferro says that San Miguel, through its traditions and customs, has shown the world that this is a city where it is possible to coexist independently of religions, languages, nationalities, skin color, or social status. He also mentions that culture must be accessible to all economic backgrounds and, for that reason, “if Sanmiguelenses cannot travel the world, they should know that the world can come to them.”

As in previous years, Ferro expects more than 40 ambassadors to Mexico including from Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Greece, Indonesia, China, and Russia.

The festival will start on Friday at 6pm with a solemn City Council meeting at the Teatro Ángela Peralta. There, the City Council will appoint the ambassadors as special guests of the city and will hand over recognition to them. The event is open to the general publicand will include a speech from the mayor speeches from public servants attending on behalf of President Enrique Peña Nieto and Governor Miguel Márquez Márquez, as well as the mayor’s speech. At the end of the session, the visitors will gather outside the theater for a group photograph.